CAMINO DE SANTIAGO
Some speak of the discovery of the tomb of the apostle Santiago date for the start of one of the biggest companies in Western culture, the Camino de Santiago. But the road followed a path already traveled before, Finisterre, of the Romans.
The discovery of the tomb was a momentous fact that deeply shocked and dazzled the peoples of the medieval West. Since then the Pyrenees Navarre has been forced to move thousands of pilgrims coming from Europe, go to Galicia to honor the apostle.
This constant flow of men of all kinds of social status and geographical origin over the centuries was an artistic and cultural enrichment, as well as economic, for the peoples of the road.
Churches and monasteries, hermitages and hospitals, many of whom remain at the present time, were built along the way and in many of these buildings were involved foreign artists.
At attractive cultural and artistic del Camino de Santiago is added to the beauty of natural landscapes through which runs: lush forests of beech, oak or oak, meadows, areas of ferns, mountains and rivers of birth, are a paradise for lovers of nature.
Near San Juan de Pie de Port, Road cascaded toward the Pyrenees in two ways:
- -Camino Alto, Napoleon or the Ports Cisa: on the hills of Lepoeder or Bentartea. Follow the route of the ancient Roman road Bordeaux-Astorga, which is still visible in some stretches and that conditioned the communicative structure of this area.
- -Under Way or gorge: crosses Luzaide-Valcarlos and rises to the valley by Ibañeta.
RONCESVALLES
Step natural Pyrenees from ancient times, is an emblematic place of deep resonances epic. Here lies the tradition of the defeat of Charlemagne French army at the hands of the Basques. Roncesvalles forms a large architectural ensemble-religious, secular, domestic-in a beautiful location.
In Roncesvalles was installed and grew and hostelling care center that hosted the pilgrims after the tough ascent of the mountain range and extended their steps towards the ultimate goal, and almost perceptible in their hearts, still distant from the tomb of the apostle. Following the passage of Ultrapuertos, leaving the Pyrenees behind, Roncesvalles means walking the door for the last stretch of road, even though they still remain more than 700 kilometres to the finish. Pilgrims they consider the second main point of the Camino de Santiago, Compostela behind the cathedral because of the strength of this historic and symbolic place.
The small and simple Gothic chapel located near the Silo Charlemagne is the only building in Roncesvalles recalls the cult of Santiago. It retains a unique, the bell from the former chapel Ibañeta, which served as a hopeful claim for the pilgrims who stood the north side of the Pyrenees. That's because the pilgrimage to Compostela is next to Carolingian world, the essential argument of Roncesvalles
